Edwardian sash windows

An arts and craft movement gripped the decorative art community at the end of the 19th century. This was a response to the English Classicism that had dominated the previous 150 years through mass production. Technical advances were used by Edwardians to manufacture glass in a way that created a big window picture by adjusting the bottom sash. The technique used one large bottom gazing bar. On the other hand, the top sash required many panes, and thick square-shaped glazing bars were used to form a design reminiscent of Queen Mary architecture. The distinct aspect was that one of more glass panes were movable.

During the period, architects utilised Gregorian architectural elements to help in increasing the natural light permeating home interiors. These designs were referred to as Neo-Georgian designed and most Edwardian homes got multi-paned sash windows. In order to allow natural light to permeate the homes the doors and sash windows needed to be larger. As a result, most Edwardian homes were built with larger rooms and higher ceilings to accommodate the sash windows that allowed more light to come into the home.

The standard height of sash windows at the time was from the ceiling to the floor. The used width was close to five-feet. In order to maximise light, some homes had sash windows with smaller panes installed. Unique characteristics were added to the Edwardian homes by staining the upper sashes with images.

Since the Edwardian period was one of the shortest in Britain’s architectural revolution, soon the use of sash windows declined. This can be accredited to the complexity of sash window construction. After the First World War, sash windows were replaced by steel and wooden windows that were easier to construct. Despite the decline, some houses were still being built using the sash window design in the 1930s. Their resurgent nature has even seen them re-emerging in architectural designs today. Classical architects are including sash windows to make it more reminiscent of the era.